Diabetes problem makes Africa more vulernable to COVID-19 death, says
WHO
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[November 11, 2021]
By George Obulutsa
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Death rates from
COVID-19 infections are much higher in patients with diabetes in Africa,
where the number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly, the World
Health Organization said on Thursday.
A WHO analysis of data from 13 African countries found a 10.2% case
fatality rate in COVID-19 patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5% for
COVID-19 patients overall.
"COVID-19 is delivering a clear message: fighting the diabetes epidemic
in Africa is in many ways as critical as the battle against the current
pandemic," said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a
statement.
An estimated 70% of people with diabetes on the continent were unaware
they had disease, according to the WHO.
The number of people with diabetes in Africa is expected to surge to 55
million by 2045 from 24 million this year, the International Diabetes
Federation forecasts.
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Director General of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Patrick
Kuma-Aboagye receives the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine
during the vaccination campaign at the Ridge Hospital in Accra,
Ghana March 2, 2021. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko
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The data from Africa on the increased vulnerability of people with
diabetes to death from COVID-19 reflects a global trend: A Reuters
investigation this year reported that the pandemic has revealed that the
United States has been losing its public health battle against diabetes
for more than a decade.
As of Thursday, Africa has recorded over 8.6 million
confirmed COVID-19 cases and 220,0000 deaths, according to a Reuters
tally.
Less than 7% of the African population is fully vaccinated against
COVID-19, compared with about 40% globally, WHO says.
(Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Maggie Fick and Raissa
Kasolowsky)
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